Chambliss, Bahner & Stophel shareholder John Jackson is the firm’s new litigation and risk management practice group section chair, while shareholder Andy Leffler is the new section chair for the firm’s real estate practice group.
John Jackson
Jackson takes over as litigation and risk management chair after most recently serving on Chambliss’ executive committee. He follows Steve Barham, who previously served as section chair and is now serving as Chambliss’ president and managing shareholder.
Jackson has litigated cases in the heavy machinery, health care and food products industries, as well as matters involving plastics, sporting goods and hazardous waste containment technologies.
With over 35 years of legal experience, Jackson focuses on commercial and intellectual property litigation and mediation. He’s successfully prosecuted and defended claims involving patent, trademark and copyright infringement, trade secret misappropriation, products liability and other commercial disputes.
In addition to his litigation practice, Jackson is an active member of the American Intellectual Property Law Association and the Justices Brock-Cooper Chapter of the American Inns of Court. He serves as president of the board of Partnership for Families, Children and Adults and is certified as a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 general civil mediator.
Jackson is a fellow of the American Bar Foundation, a member of the State Bar of Georgia and a member of the Chattanooga, Lookout Mountain, Tennessee and American Bar associations. Jackson is also involved in the intellectual property law sections of both the Tennessee and American Bar associations.
Jackson graduated magna cum laude from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga before graduating from the University of Cincinnati College of Law. He’s licensed to practice in Tennessee and Georgia.
Andy Leffler
Leffler follows shareholder Kirby Yost, who previously served as section chair and is now serving on Chambliss’ executive committee. He advises a diverse range of regional and national real estate development and finance clients, including sellers, buyers, lenders, landlords, tenants and investors.
Leffler’s practice spans all aspects of real estate deals, from assisting developers with initial land underwriting and navigating the construction loan process, to structuring and drafting joint venture agreements. He also provides counsel on easements, owners association issues, financial workouts and partnership agreements, and has experience in opportunity zones and 1031 exchanges.
Leffler’s clients are located across the Southeast and Texas, and he regularly works with a variety of real estate classes, including multifamily complexes, medical offices, retail, restaurants and warehouses.
Leffler has been involved in several high-profile transactions, including representing a regional bank in the reissuance of a $34 million construction loan following a total casualty and advising a large regional multifamily complex owner and developer on the formation of a $100 million real estate fund.
Before joining Chambliss, Leffler practiced in New York and New Jersey, where he focused on real estate debt financing and gained experience in foreclosure and security enforcement proceedings.
Leffler serves on the board of Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise and is a member of the Chattanooga and Tennessee Bar associations. He is a former member of the Land Use and Zoning Committee of the New York City Bar Association and previously served on the board of the North Chickamauga Creek Conservancy.
Leffler graduated summa cum laude with honors from the University of the South before graduating magna cum laude from Pace University School of Law. He is licensed to practice in Tennessee, New York and New Jersey.